96-year-old Renee retires after 34 years on charity committee

TRIBUTES have been paid to a 96-year-old woman who has retired after over 30 years of raising money for local charities.

Renee Brown, of Park Road, Southport, has served as chairman of the Mayor of Sefton’s Charity Fund for 34 years, during which time her colleagues estimate that she has helped raise more than £150,000 for good causes in and around Southport.

Mrs Brown was honoured at a special luncheon at the Dolce Vita restaurant in Ainsdale, during which she was thanked for her long and dedicated service by incoming chairman, Cllr Maureen Fearn.

Cllr Fearn said: “Renee has done a marvellous job as chairman of the committee and has worked so hard to raise so much money for good causes and keep the committee active.

“I am very honoured to be taking over from her, but I realise it will be a tough task to follow someone like Renee.”

Looking back on her time raising money for Southport’s charities, Renee described how she had never even expected to become chairman of the committee.

She said: “I remember I said that I only wanted to do it for one year, but I ended up loving every minute of it and when I lost my husband it really became my life.”

Renee, who has recently been recovering from a serious fall which has left her struggling to walk, said that the highlight of her time on the committee was a royal appointment at Buckingham Palace.

“I was invited twice to Royal garden parties at the palace and got to meet both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

“I can look back over the years and remember a lot of fun times.

“We are an elderly gang on the committee but we have had so many laughs.”

Committee member Clive Wright, described Renee as “a remarkable lady”.

He said: “She has held the committee together over the years and is still very sharp-minded and intelligent.”

Speaking about the plans to scale down the role of Sefton’s mayor, Renee said that she was “extremely sad” that they will no longer be performing public duties.

“The mayor does such a lot of good work and I always used to see just how pleased people were when they had a visit from the mayor.

“It seems to me that they are cutting down on the wrong things and not taking long enough to think about the consequences to people.

“To think they are considering giving up the town hall is wicked.”

For now though, Renee is looking forward to a long and well-earned rest.

“I cannot walk very well now but I can think fine and when I look back I have had a really wonderful time.”